eNewsletter December 2018
A Message from the President
Greetings!
At PHILLIPS Programs, across every campus we hear two things: parents say that for the first time in their child's life they have hope. And the youth and families we serve share that the best thing about their experience with our programs is that our staff truly cares.
Your support of our programs plays an integral part in the successful outcomes of our children and youth.
Consider one of our PHILLIPS stories.
Anna (pseudonym) was only five when she was placed outside of her mother's care. As a pre-teen she was hospitalized for depression and was engaging in self harm. She has lived in group homes and has been in a residential program.
Two years ago, at the age of 14, she was referred to PHILLIPS with the weight of the world upon her young shoulders. After receiving weekly counseling and OT services in addition to our small classes and individualized attention, she is a thriving 16 year old. She lives with her grandmother in a consistent environment, is succeeding in our academic program and holding down a part-time job working 15 hours per week. She aspires to attend college after graduation. .
During this season of giving you can also show you care. Make a gift today and become part of the Circle of Hope that sustains our children. Make a one time gift or become a monthly donor.
Wishing you and your loved ones the very best this holiday season!
Sincerely,
You can make a difference in the life of a child with a tax deductible end of the year gift!
As families gather across the DMV to celebrate the holiday season, it is a time to pause and humbly give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy in this abundant community. Among those things we are most grateful is our family. Every parent wants the same things for their children: emotional, physical and spiritual health; good friends, joy and a passion for learning. Acceptance. Purpose. Hope. Love. But for some parents many of those dreams seem out of reach. Especially for parents whose children struggle with behavioral health needs. That is why I am writing to ask you to support those families and help us provide the programs that help put their youth on a path to success.
FACT: 1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will encounter a serious mental health challenge.
FACT: 70% of youth in state and local juvenile justice systems have behavioral health needs.
While these statistics are alarming, you have provided hope for the children and families who rely on our programs to beat these odds. Your support has given each of our families the tools to overcome these challenges and to create a brighter future.
Last year, gifts supported our breakfast program; scholarships and Family Partners.
• Every student in our schools start the day with a nutritious breakfast.
• Your generous support enabled two students to receive scholarships. These youth were the first in their families to attend post-secondary education programs. We are thrilled to share that Davontae is in his second year at Virginia State University and another graduate is attending community college.
• Jenny, a Family Partners client who was struggling with self-harm, social anxiety, depression and aggressive tendencies with her family members adopted positive coping strategies, better managed her depression and anxiety and utilized effective communication skills at home. Thanks to intensive home-based services combined with support from her school and family, she graduated!
Operating gifts provide essential program resources.
For example, the Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy department is seeking funds to purchase additional sensory tool kits to support students like Timmy.Timmy arrived at PHILLIPS Programs as an 8 year old boy with Autism who had engaged in behaviors at school including aggression and elopement. Timmy used a variety of tools including swings, weighted blankets, weighted balls, pressure vests, calisthenics, mini trampolines, and specialized headphones. Eventually, Timmy was demonstrating the skills and behaviors to begin transitioning back to his public school part-time. Today he is attending his public school full-time and enrolled in honor classes!
Farm Station Cafe, WomenAde, Friends of PHILLIPS and Next Level Fitness Provide Holiday Cheer!
PHILLIPS has a tradition of collecting monetary donations in order to help some of our families at holiday time. We purchase gift cards from area food stores to help with meals when we are closed for our Winter Break. A La Carte's Farm Station Cafe raised $360 with their Brunch for Santa and Giving Tree!
Terri Aufmuth Stevens of Cornerstone Landscaping raised $415 through a fundraiser on Giving Tuesday on her Friends of PHILLIPS page!
WomenAde, a giving circle, raise $1,995 and parents and teachers at our Annandale campus raised $1,700!
Next Level Fitness in Haymarket hosted a Giving Tree to support our Occupational Therapy and counseling departments. We are so grateful to NLF and their generous clients!
Today we brought three loads of donations into the school: toys for the OT Department, new towels for the Life Skills apartment, new toiletries and underwear for families with housing challenges and grocery gift cards to provide groceries for five families!
We are also sponsoring a young mother and her baby with funds raised by Brandee Cutlip, grocery gift cards donated by a Girl Scout troop, a gift card to Target donated at the Farm Station Cafe brunch and a new baby blanket from a local family.Thanks to a broad community of caring the holidays will be all that much brighter!
www.phillipsprograms.org
Tower Club's Young Executives Society Hosts Panel Discussion
Thanks to our sponsor, Justin Fleshman, Vice President of Strategic Operations at Valiant Solutions LLC and the Tower Club, Delegate Mark Keam, Megan Malone, Senior Director, VISA and David White, VP Operations, Superior Paving participated in a panel discussion about "Doing Well By Doing Good" moderated by Leadership Fairfax Institute's CEO Karen Cleveland before an audience of young professionals. The CEO's and Executive Directors of three non- profits were on hand to talk about board service: Piper Phillips Caswell of PHILLIPS Programs; Susan Garvey, Executive Director of Shepherds Center - Vienna/Oakton and Nikki Ferraro, Founder of Bite Me Cancer Foundation.
"Their potential, our commitment"
PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families is a private, non-profit organization serving the complex needs of children and youth living with cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral challenges in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Through excellence in specialized education, community programs and individualized support services, we provide our children and families every advantage to ensure they develop to achieve their greatest individual success. Their potential is our commitment.